As I posted earlier, led me to reflect. Few vocations, and me being a little dubious about it, I wonder how many are actually heard. Being a priest involves many sacrifices - sacrifices to the things of the world - but it's also an opportunity to be able to do a culture to ensure a secure future, against all the uncertainties in today's world of work, you find. This can occur both between diocesan priests and among the religious. You may say, but there are teachers who know how to do their discernment! Oh, but the devil may well be confused, it's his job. You look around, and you can see the deserted churches. True to rampant de-Christianization, caused by some secular ideology, but a part of "blame" could also be charged by the clergy, which is not always so attentive to others as demonstrated by Don Lolo, who has escaped death in order to help a tough guy. Not all are dedicated to martyrdom. Many priests live turned in upon themselves, looking for applause, they are often depressed, because they find them difficult to work in a world that does not respect them. I think that self-esteem is necessary but should not be confused with pride, arrogance, self-love. Often the priests do not have time, swallowed up by so many commitments "bureaucratic" meetings at times unnecessarily and fail to heal relations with individuals. The Church has become a provider of sacraments: Baptisms, Confirmations, Communions, weddings and funerals. And people used to it as if it was a 'body that provides services. But beyond that, there are true friends of God? I know of many who are, and rejoice, but others leave me cold and indifferent. I do not perceive the fire of love in them. This was confirmed to me by many people, and if people are full of faith and love, understand and remain steadfast in their resolve to be a member of the Church, but others, who are the first steps of a journey that leads to Jesus, or whose faith is lukewarm, if not even completely disappeared, find justification for their removal, the lack of a constructive dialogue with a priest. Or are disappointed by his speech, that look sickly and devoid of genuine sharing. Sometimes, even offended by certain language or behavior, not exactly orthodox, but that's another story. 
or one of his boys, a young man with serious psychological problems. Don Isidoro had followed him for years, helping also to build a professional perspective. They were just after 22. It was in the field behind the farmhouse that was renovated to be used as a recovery community. He had an appointment with the boy who was later assassinated. He had to talk to him, maybe offer some advice. The young man raises his voice, he gets angry, loses control and takes out a knife. 
few days ago I posted a video of a song of Africa, Jammu Africa, but being part sung in the local language and partly in French, I think it enjoyed the full text of the song, to which I add the translation in Italian. Ismael Lo has recorded this song several years ago, but again very timely in these days when many countries of North Africa are in revolt. No wonder, even in Europe we have had our revolutions: the French, the Russians and even Italy was not less. We remember him in our 150 th anniversary of the unification of Italy. When people are subjected when they have no jobs and food, when realize how injustice and can not ask for a better future in peace, leaving the streets together, for social justice that have ever had. And they do so knowing that they will fall, they will die, but never dies the hope of a better world, a lasting peace that only he who respects his fellow man can get. 
Dear brothers and sistersL ' love of Christ is not a burden to humans, but "almost gives wings." He said the Pope speaks of St. John of the Cross's general audience Wednesday, Feb. 16, in the Paul VI.
John of the Cross was born in 1542 in the small village of Fontiveros, near Avila, in Old Castile, Gonzalo de Yepes and Catalina Alvarez. The family was poor, because his father, of noble origin Toledo, had been out of the house and disinherited for marrying Catalina, a humble silk weaver. Lost his father at an early age, John, nine years, he went, with his mother and his brother Francisco, Medina del Campo, near Valladolid, commercial and cultural center. Here he attended the Colegio de los Doctrinos, also performing some menial work for the nuns of the convent church of Mary Magdalene. Then, because of its human qualities and his results in his studies, he was admitted as a nurse in the Hospital of the Conception of the first, then at the Jesuit College, recently founded in Medina del Campo: John came here eighteen years and studied for three years the humanities, rhetoric and classical languages. At the end of training, he was clear about his own vocation and religious life, among the many orders present in Medina, he felt called to Caramel.
summer in 1563 he began his novitiate at the Carmelites of the city, taking the religious name of Matthias. The following year was assigned to the prestigious University of Salamanca, where he studied for three years, arts and philosophy. In 1567 he was ordained priest and returned to Medina del Campo to celebrate his first Mass surrounded by the affection of family members. Right here was the first meeting between John and Teresa of Jesus The meeting was decisive for both: Teresa explained his plan to reform the Carmelite Order and even suggested that the male line to John to accede "to the greater glory of God "The young priest was fascinated by the ideas of Teresa, and has become a big supporter of the project. The two worked together few months, sharing ideas and proposals as soon as possible to inaugurate the first house of the Discalced Carmelites: The opening took place December 28, 1568 at Duruelo, lonely place in the province of Avila. By John formed the first community reformed three other male companions. In renewing their religious profession according to the first Rule, the four adopted a new name: John was called then "the Cross", as will then be universally known. At the end of 1572, at the request of Teresa, became confessor and vicar of the monastery of the Incarnation in Avila, where Santa was prioress. They were years of close collaboration and spiritual friendship that enriched both. At that period are Teresian the most important works and the first writings of John.Membership of the Carmelite reform was not easy and it cost too much suffering to John. The most traumatic episode was, in 1577, his abduction and his incarceration in the convent of the Carmelites of the Ancient Observance of Toledo, following an unjust accusation. The saint was imprisoned for months, subjected to physical and mental hardships and difficulties. Here he composed, along with other poems, the famous Spiritual Canticle. Finally, on the night between 16 and 17 August 1578, he escaped so adventurous, sheltering in the monastery of Carmelite nuns in the city. Santa Teresa and fellow reformed celebrated with immense joy for his release and, after a short recovery time of the forces, John moved in Andalusia, where he spent ten years in various monasteries, especially in Granada. He took on increasingly important positions in the Order, to become the Vicar Provincial, and completed the drafting of its spiritual treatises. He then returned to his homeland, as a member of the General Government of Teresa's religious family, which now enjoyed full legal autonomy. He lived in Caramel, Segovia, performing the office of superior of the community. In 1591 he was relieved of all responsibility and for the new religious Province of Mexico. While preparing for the long trip with ten other companions, retired to a convent solitary near Jaén, where he fell seriously ill. John faced with exemplary patience, serenity and enormous suffering. He died on the night between 13 and 14 December 1591, while the brothers recite the Office in the morning. Took leave of them saying: "Today I am going to sing the Office in the sky." His mortal remains were transferred to Segovia. She was beatified by Clement X in 1675 and canonized by Benedict XIII in 1726.John is considered one of the major lyric poets of English literature. The major works are four: Ascent to Mount Caramel, Dark Night, Spiritual Canticle and flame of love alive.The Spiritual Canticle, St. John presents the process of purification of the soul, namely, the progressive joyous possession of God, until the soul comes to feel that love God with the same love with which she is loved by Him alive the flame of love continues in this perspective, describing in detail the state of transforming union The comparison to God used by John is always that of the fire as much as the fire burns through the timber, the more you do to become red-hot flame, so the Holy Spirit, during the dark night that cleanses and "clean" the soul, over time the lights and warms like a flame. The life of the soul is a continual feast of the Holy Spirit that reveals the glory of union with God in eternity.Rise Mount Caramel has the spiritual journey from the point of view of the progressive purification of the soul, to scale the summit of Christian perfection, symbolized by the summit of Mount Caramel. This purification is proposed as a way that man is doing, working with the divine action, to free the soul from all attachment or affection contrary to the will of God purification, in order to reach the union of love with God to be total, starting with the meaning of life and continues with that obtained by means of the three theological virtues: faith, hope and charity, purifying the intention, memory and desire. The Dark Night describes the appearance of "passive", ie the intervention of God in this process of "purification" of the soul. Human effort, in fact, is unable by itself to reach the deep roots of evil inclinations and habits of the people: it can only slow down, but not eradicate them completely. To do this, you need the special action of God who purifies the spirit and has radically union of love with him St. John calls "passive" such purification, because, although accepted by the soul, is made from ' mysterious action of the Holy Spirit, as a flame of fire, consumes all impurities. In this state, the soul is subjected to every kind of evidence, as if he were in a dark night. These
information on major works of the saint help us move closer to the highlights of his vast and profound mystical doctrine, whose purpose is to describe a sure way to achieve holiness, the state of perfection to which God calls us all. According to John of the Cross, all that is created by God is good. Through the creatures, we can arrive at the discovery of him in them has left a trace behind. Faith, however, is the only source given to man to know God as He is in Himself as the Triune God. All that God wanted to communicate to man, he has said in Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh. Jesus Christ is the one definitive way to the Father (Cf. Jn 14, 6). Anything that is created is nothing compared to God and nothing is beyond him: therefore, to achieve perfect love of God, love each other in Christ should conform to the divine love. Hence the insistence of St. John of the Cross on the need of the cleansing and emptying of the interior to become God, which is the only goal of perfection. This "purification" is not the mere absence of physical things or their use, what makes the soul pure and free, however, is to eliminate any dependence on disordered things. Everything must be placed in God as the center and end of life. The long and arduous process of purification requires some personal effort, but the real star is God all that man can do is "disporsi" be open to the divine action and do not ask obstacles. Living the theological virtues, the man rises and gives value to their commitment. The pace of growth in faith, hope and charity go hand in hand with the work of purification and the progressive union with God to turn him in when we reach this goal, the soul is immersed in the same life Trinity, so that St. John says that it comes to love God with the same love with which He loves, because he loves the Holy Spirit. That's why the Doctor Monk argues that there is no true union of love culminates in union with God except the Trinity. In this state supreme soul Holy God knows everything and no longer has to go through to get the creatures to Him the soul feels now flooded by divine love and rejoices fully in it.Dear brothers and sisters, in the end the question remains: this holy mystical with its high, with this arduous journey to the summit of perfection has to say something to us, the Christian living in normal circumstances of this life today or is an example, a model for only a few chosen souls who can actually take this path of purification, mystical ascent? To find the answer we must first keep in mind that the life of Saint John of the Cross was not a "fly in the clouds mystical", but was a very hard life, very practical and concrete, is to reform, where he encountered much opposition from both the provincial superior, both of his brothers in prison, where he was exposed to incredible abuse and physical abuse. It was a hard life, but just in the past months in prison he wrote one of his finest works. And so we can understand that the journey with Christ, walking with Christ, "the Way," is not a burden added to the already hard enough burden of our lives, not something that would make it even heavier this burden, but it's completely different, is a light, a force that helps us to carry this burden. If a man carries with it a great love, love this almost gives wings, and more easily bear all the hardships of life, it carries within it this great light, this is the faith: to be loved by God and be loved by God in Christ Jesus be loved This is the light that helps us to bear the burden of every day. And holiness is not our work very difficult, but it is precisely this "open": open the windows of our soul so that God's light can enter, do not forget God because its light is the opening to its strength, there is the joy of the redeemed. Let us ask the Lord to help us find holiness, be loved by God, which is the vocation of all of us and the real redemption. Thanks.
weekly edition Italian language - number 5 
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Dear brothers and sisters,
during the catechesis that I wanted to dedicate to the Church Fathers and great theologians and figures of women in the Middle Ages I was able to focus also on some saints who have been declared Doctors of the Church for their outstanding teaching. Today I will start a short series of meetings to complete the presentation of the Doctors of the Church. It started with a Santa who is one of the leaders of the Christian spirituality of all time: St. Teresa of Avila [Jesus].was born in Avila, Spain, in 1515, with the name of Teresa de Ahumada. In her autobiography she herself mentions some details of his childhood: the birth of "virtuous and God-fearing parents, in a large family, with nine brothers and three sisters. As a child, less than 9 years, so read the lives of some martyrs who inspire the desire of martyrdom, so that a sudden short flight from home to die a martyr and go to heaven (cf. Vita 1, 4); "I want to see God," says the small parents. Some years later, Teresa speaks of his childhood reading and affirm to have you discovered the truth, which follows two basic principles: first, "the fact that everything that belongs to the world from here, go", the other that God alone is "forever, forever, forever", a theme that returns in the famous poem "Nothing will disturb / nothing frighten you, / for more. God does not change, / get all the patience; / Who has God / can not fail / Only God is enough. "Having been orphaned of mother-to-12 years, asked the Blessed Virgin that the mother's face (see Life 1, 7).If adolescence reading secular books led her to the distractions of a social life, experience as a pupil of the Augustinian nuns of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Avila and the attendance of spiritual books, especially classics of Franciscan spirituality, teaches meditation and prayer. At age 20, he entered the Carmelite monastery of the Incarnation in Avila always, in religious life takes on the name of Teresa of Jesus Three years later, became seriously ill, so as to remain for four days in a coma, apparently Life (see Life 5, 9). Even in the fight against his illness the Holy sees the fight against the weaknesses and strengths to God's call: "I wanted to live - he writes - because I understood that I was not living, but I was struggling with the shadow of death, and had no nobody to give me life, and even I could take me, and one who could give it to me was right not to help me, because many times I had turned towards him, and I had abandoned "(Life, 8, 2). In 1543, the lose proximity of family: his father dies and all his brothers emigrated to America one by one. In Lent of 1554, to 39 years, Teresa is the culmination of the struggle against their own weaknesses. The accidental discovery of the statue "a very wounded Christ" a strong impression on his life (cf. Vita 9). La Santa, which at that time located deep harmony with the Confessions of St. Augustine, describes the decisive day of his mystical experience: "... It happened that I suddenly felt a sense of God's presence, that in no way I doubt that was within me or that I was all absorbed in Him "(Life 10, 1). In parallel with the maturation of their inner life, the Santa begins to develop in practice the ideal of reform of the Carmelite Order: founded in 1562 in Avila, with the support of the bishop of the city, Don Alvaro de Mendoza, the first Caramel reformed, and soon after also receives the approval of the Superior General Order, Giovanni Battista Rossi. In subsequent years continues, the foundations of new Camels, a total of seventeen. The key issue is the meeting with St. John of the Cross, with whom, in 1568, is a Duruelo, near Avila, the first convent of Discalced Carmelites. In 1580 obtained from Rome the erection in the Autonomous Province for its Carmeli reformed, the starting point of the religious order of Discalced Carmelites. Teresa ended his earthly life is just as engaged in the foundation. In 1582, in fact, after the Costituto Carmelo Burgos and while he is making the return trip to Avila, died the night of October 15 in Alba de Tormes, humbly repeating two phrases: "In the end, I die daughter of the Church "and" It's about time, my spouse, we'll see. "A life consumed in Spain, but spent the whole Church. beatified by Pope Paul V in 1614 and canonized in 1622 by Pope Gregory XV is proclaimed "Doctor of the Church of the Servant of God Paul VI in 1970.
Teresa of Jesus had no academic training, but has always valued the teachings of theologians, scholars and spiritual teachers. As a writer, it was always stuck to what they had personally experienced or had seen in the experience of others (see the prologue to The Way of Perfection), ie from the experience. Teresa has the opportunity to build friendly relations with many spiritual saints in particular with St. John of the Cross. At the same time, nourished by the reading of the Church Fathers, St. Jerome, St. Gregory the Great, St. Augustine. Among his major works to be mentioned first autobiography, titled Book of Life, which she calls the Book of God's mercy. Composed in Caramel Avila in 1565, reports the location and spiritual biography, written, as Teresa says the same, placing his soul to the discernment of the "Master of the spiritual," St. John of Avila. The aim is to highlight the presence and action of God the Merciful in his life for this, the work often gives the dialogue of prayer with the Lord. It is a fascinating read, because the Holy not only tells, but shows to relive the experience of his deep relationship with God In 1566, Teresa wrote the Way of Perfection, which she called the warnings and advice by Teresa of Jesus to the nuns. The beneficiaries are the twelve novices of Caramel of St. Joseph in Avila. They Teresa offers an intensive program of contemplative life to serve the Church, at the base there are the virtues of the Gospel and prayer. Among the steps the most valuable comment to our Father, a model of prayer. The opera's most famous mystic St. Teresa is the Interior Castle, written in 1577, in full maturity. It is a reinterpretation of his own journey of spiritual life and at the same time, a codification of the possible Proceedings of the Christian life to its fullness, holiness, under the action of the Holy Spirit. Teresa refers to the structure of a castle with seven rooms, as an image of the interior of man, by introducing, at the same time, the symbol of the silkworm is reborn into a butterfly, to express the transition from natural to the supernatural. The Holy Scripture is inspired, particularly the Song of Songs, the final symbol of the "couple", which allows to describe, in the seventh room, the summit of Christian life in its four aspects: the Trinity, Christology, anthropology and the Church. To his activities as founder of the Discalced Carmelite, Teresa of foundations dedicated the book, written between 1573 and 1582, where he talks about the life of the nascent religious group. As autobiography, the story is intended to highlight especially the action of God in the founding of new monasteries.
is not easy to summarize in a few words the profound spirituality and articulate Teresa. Let me mention a few key points. First, Santa Teresa offers the Gospel virtues as the basis of all Christian life and human existence in particular, the detachment from the goods or evangelical poverty, and this concerns us all, love for one another as essential element of life Community and social humility as love of truth, the determination as the result of daring Christian theological hope, which describes how the thirst for living water. Not forgetting the virtues of human kindness, truthfulness, modesty, kindness, happiness, culture. Secondly, Santa Teresa offers a complete harmony with the great biblical characters and listening to live the Word of God above all, she feels in tune with the bride of the Song of Solomon and the Apostle Paul, in addition to the Christ Passion of Jesus and the Eucharist. The Holyalso points out what is essential to prayer, to pray, he says, "means going with friends because we frequent face to face one who we know loves us" (Life, 8, 5). The idea of \u200b\u200bSanta Teresa matches with the definition that St. Thomas Aquinas gives the theological charity, such as "quaedam amicitia hominis Deum," a kind of friendship between man and God, who first offered his friendship to man, the initiative comes from God (cf. Summa Theologiae II-II, 23, 1). Prayer is life and gradually develops hand in hand with the growth of Christian life begins with vocal prayer, passing through the internalization through meditation and reflection, to achieve union of love with Christ and with the Most Holy Trinity. Obviously this is not a development in which to climb higher up means letting the previous type of prayer, but rather a gradual deepening of the relationship with God that surrounds all life. More than a pedagogy of prayer, that Teresa is a real "mystagogy": the reader of his works taught herself to pray by praying with him frequently, in fact, interrupts the story or the exposure to break out in a prayer.Another issue dear to the Holy is the centrality of Christ's humanity. For Teresa, in fact, Christian life is a personal relationship with Jesus, culminating in union with Him by grace, love and imitation. Hence the importance that she attaches to the meditation on the Passion and the Eucharist, the presence of Christ in the Church for the life of every believer, as the heart of the liturgy. Santa Teresa lives unconditional love to the Church: she shows a live "sensus Ecclesiae" in front of episodes of conflict and division in the Church of his time. Reform of the Carmelite Order with the intention of better service and better defend the "Holy Roman Catholic Church," and is willing to give their lives for it (cf. Life 33, 5). A final key aspect of Thérèse's doctrine, I would like to emphasize, is perfection, as an aspiration of the whole Christian life and the same ultimate goal. The Santa has a very clear idea of \u200b\u200bthe "fullness" of Christ, revived by the Christian. At the end of the path of the Interior Castle, the last "room" Teresa describes the fullness of the Trinity made nell'inabitazione, union to Christ through the mystery of his humanity.Dear brothers and sisters, Teresa of Jesus is true teacher of life for the Christian faithful of all time. In our society, often lacking in spiritual values, St. Therese teaches us to be tireless witnesses of God, his presence and his actions, teaches us to really feel this thirst for God that exists in the depths of our heart, this desire to see God, seek God, to be in conversation with him and be his friends. This is the friendship that is necessary for us all and we must try, day after day, again. The example of this Saint, deeply contemplative and operational effectiveness, we push to devote the proper time each day to prayer, this openness to God in this way to seek God, to see him to find his friendship, and so the real life, because really most of us would say, "I do not live, not I live really, why not live the essence of my life. " For this time of prayer is not wasted time is time when you open the road of life, opens the way for God to learn from an ardent love to Him, His Church, and a real love for our brothers. Thanks.
